Examining Silybum marianum as a natural countermeasure to 1,4-dioxane induced hemato-, hepato- and nephrotoxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats

Silybum marianum (S. marianum) is famous for its nutritional value and medicinal benefits; while 1,4-dioxane is extensively used at the industrial level and in daily routine, but with all its uses, it is also becoming a major water contaminant with hazardous impacts on human health. The current study assessed the therapeutic potential of the ethanolic extract of S. marianum leaves against 1,4-dioxane induced hemato- hepato- nephrotoxicity in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by involving 40 male SD rats, distributed into eight groups viz., control group (C), S. marianum extract groups (S1, S2 and S3 at 85, 165 and 247 mg/kg, respectively), positive control group (G1): treated with 1,4-dioxane at 3000 ppm, and three co-treated groups (G2, G3, G4: 1,4-dioxane at 3000 ppm + S. marianum at 85, 165 and 247 mg/kg, respectively). After the completion of the trial (60 days), significant (P<0.05) improvements in body weight, hepatic-, renal- and lipid profile as well as histo-architecture of liver and kidney were observed in co-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. While 1,4-dioxane at 3000 ppm severely altered the selected parameters in SD rats. Conclusively, S. marianum, due to its therapeutic potential at 247 mg/kg, countermeasured the 1,4-dioxane induced hemato-, hepato- and nephrotoxicity in male SD rats.